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joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam
The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.
Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.
Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!
Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.
Click here to report a problem with this page.
Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:
- This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "mtcn" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
- This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- ubaoffice30@aol.com (AOL; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs.Jenet Dibor" <mrrubenmaxwell210@gmail.com>
Reply-To: ubaoffice30@aol.com
Date: Fri, 29 Oct 2021 19:46:55 -0700
Subject: Attention: Beneficiary
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Attention
We received an email from this Mr. Michael Victor and his friend
Dr.Jerry Lawrence Richard. who said that you was give them the power
of attorney to make claims of your funds that you are not capable to
complete your transfer again, so we should transfer your funds to
their giving account and they promise to pay for the balance so that
we will be transfer your funds to them.
They said that they have an meting with you in some hours ago and you
give them this office email address that they should contact us and
let us know that you are the one who give your power of attorney to
them to make the claim on your behalf that you are not capable to
complete the transfer any longer We will like to hear from you before
we give them the order to make the payment of this $125.00 usd and we
will being divert your funds to them like they said you give them your
power of attorney to make claims of your funds ($2.5 million)
If you know that you are not the one who gave your power of attorney
to make the claim then go ahead and send this $125.00 usd through
Western Union or World Remit money transfer/Express Union to under
below
Receiver name; SHOLA FEMI
Country; Benin Republic
City; Cotonou
Text question; Sent
Answer; Yes
Amount; $125.00 usd
Sender?s name;
MTCN;
Regard,
Mrs.Jenet Dibor
Email ( ubaoffice30@aol.com )
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